IMBD: FLAG POLICY
Introduction
Whereas, per Massachusetts General Laws c. 71, § 71, school committees, such as the School Committee of the Georgetown Public Schools (hereinafter the Georgetown School Committee), may conduct educational and recreational activities and “allow the use thereof by individuals and associations for such educational, recreational, social, civic, philanthropic and like purposes as it deems for the interest of the community”;
Whereas, per Massachusetts General Laws c. 71 § 37, school committees, such as the Georgetown School Committee, shall establish educational goals and policies for its school district, consistent with the requirements of law and the statewide goals and standards established by the Board of Education;
Now therefore, the Georgetown School Committee enacts the following policy, establishing that flagpoles located on school property are reserved exclusively for government speech, monitored and controlled by the Georgetown School Committee, in its sole discretion. All flags flown on school property will be purchased, stored, and maintained by the Georgetown School District.
Further, the Georgetown School Committee delegates all decision-making authority under this policy to the Superintendent, or their designee. The Board also delegates authority to the Superintendent to promulgate application materials consistent with this policy, which may be amended from time to time at the sole discretion of the Superintendent.
The Georgetown Public School District is dedicated to educating all students to grow their fullest potential so that they may become responsible, tolerant, and successful individuals. The Georgetown Public School District is committed to building healthy school communities where all school community members feel a sense of belonging, feel free to express who they are, embrace and celebrate differences, and understand that words and actions matter.
The Superintendent will only consider flag proposals that align with the District’s mission and goals and that are submitted pursuant to the policy described herein. All proposals received via the procedures outlined in this policy will be evaluated based on the criteria outlined below. All final decisions regarding flag proposals are made at the sole discretion of the Superintendent.
Procedures
This policy applies to three flagpoles – the flagpole at Perley Elementary School (grade Pre-K), the flagpole at Penn Brook Elementary School (grades K-6), and the flagpole at Georgetown Middle High School (grades 7-12).
Proposed flags may be flown for a period of no less than one (1) week, but not exceeding one (1) month, as determined by the Superintendent in the Superintendent’s sole discretion.
Proposals shall be submitted at least six weeks prior to the date on which the flag is proposed to be flown.
The Superintendent, in the Superintendent’s sole discretion, may remove a previously-approved flag at any time for any reason if the Superintendent finds that the goals as articulated in G.L. c. 71 §§ 37, 71 are not or are no longer being served.
The Superintendent will only consider proposals made by Georgetown students currently enrolled at the Perley Elementary School, Penn Brook Elementary School or Georgetown Middle High School, in the manner outlined below. Recognized Georgetown student groups from the Perley Elementary School, Penn Brook Elementary School and Georgetown Middle High School are also entitled to submit proposals.
In order to be eligible for consideration, the proposal must include all of the following required application components. Any flag proposal that does not comply with all of the required application components will automatically be rejected from consideration.
Criteria for review of proposals
All applications must include the following components:
1. A visual replication of the exact proposed flag, including the flag’s dimensions and the location where the flag can be purchased.
2. The proposed flagpole on which the proposed flag will fly.
3. The dates between which the proposed flag will fly.
4. A short explanation of how the message sought to be conveyed by the proposed flag will promote student well-being.
5. A short explanation of how the message sought to be conveyed by the proposed flag is aligned with the specific school(s) at which the proposed flag will fly, including the school(s) mission, goals, and student learning objectives.
6. Demonstrated student support in the form of student signatures. Proposal from individual students must be accompanied by at least 30 student signatures. Proposals from student groups must be accompanied by at least 40 student signatures.
7. A designated contact person, including name, telephone number, and email address, whom the Superintendent may notify regarding the Superintendent’s decision.
In order to be eligible for consideration, the proposal must not include any of the following exclusionary criteria. Any proposal that contains any of the exclusionary criteria below will be rejected.
Exclusionary criteria
The following exclusionary criteria apply to all proposals:
1. The flag may not be libelous, defamatory, obscene, lewd, vulgar, or profane.
2. The flag may not violate federal, state, or local laws, or any by-laws or ordinances.
3. The flag may not depict any religious symbols.
4. The flag may not violate any existing school policy.
5. The flag may not depict any symbols, language, slogans, etc. that are registered as hate speech.
Directions for submissions of proposals
Flag proposals must be submitted to the Superintendent in writing using the application available in hard copy at the Superintendent’s Office at Perley Elementary School.
If the Superintendent accepts a proposal, the Superintendent will notify the proposal’s contact person via email. If the Superintendent determines a proposal to be ineligible, the Superintendent will notify the proposal’s contact person via email. Applicant’s may choose to revise and resubmit their proposal so long as the revision is submitted within three weeks of the date on which the applicant is requesting that the flag be flown.
Sources reviewed in drafting this policy: Mill River School District Policy re: Flag Requests, Champlain Valley School District Policy re: Flag Display, Milton Town School District Flagpole Procedures, Harwood Unified Union School District
Accepted: February 9, 2023